Church organizations and conservative civic groups are trying to derail an annual gay pride parade scheduled for Saturday in Daegu.

The "Daegu Queer Culture Festival'' has been held in the city since 2009, but faces its biggest obstacle yet as 28 religious and right-wing groups have formed a "gay issue countermeasure committee'' aimed at blocking the event.

The committee has called on the Daegu Metropolitan Government to cancel approval for the festival, which it claimed was an "event that serves to only a small number of minorities."

The committee had sought approval for an anti-gay rally on Saturday at Daegu Park, where the queer festival is scheduled to be held, but the city government rejected the request.

Discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people is an increasing problem in Korea, where powerful church groups have derailed political efforts for equality legislation. The groups claim it is a right to discriminate against a person based on his or her sexual orientation.

"We are trying to help the organizers of the gay parade and the anti-gay committee to find truce," a Daegu city official said. "We will put in all efforts to ensure that the parade takes place safely."